Thread by @Aizenberg55

🧵Another fake report by @HRW — now claiming Israeli attack on Hodeida possibly war crime because UN officials said there is no military activity at port. But UN report HRW cites contradicts claim; evidence shows Houthis smuggle arms and launch attacks from port. Analysis: 1/

HRW claims IDF attack was “indiscriminate” meaning port was not used for any military purpose & disproportionate. How does HRW know port was not used for military purposes? UN staff & Yemenis said so. That’s literally the only evidence HRW can muster! 2/

Is it true UN “never found evidence of a Houthi military presence" at port? FALSE. HRW themselves cite UN report (S/2023/130) contradicting claim. HRW conveniently omits. Clause 35 recounts how port was used by Houthis in 2022 to detain a UAE vessel. A clear military use. 3/

UN recounts in Paragraph 36 a May 2022 attack by Houthi military vessels (“three skiffs carrying armed men”) in the area of the port of Hodeida – the only port in the area. The crack research team at HRW seems to have not read the report they cite. 4/

Same UN report describes military parade at Hodeidah and specifically notes this violated agreement not to use city for "military manifestation." HRW cites UN official claiming Hodeida NEVER had military presence as core evidence but claim is contradicted in a UN report! 5/

HRW also ignores many confirmed reports showing how Houthis used area of Hodeida port to fire missiles at ships. Here is an AP report from Jan 2024. The willful blindness by HRW is breathtaking. It's not research, just virulent anti-Israel propaganda. 6/

In June 2024, per Al Jazeera, “small watercraft” of Houthis hit a civilian Greek ship “near Red Sea port of Hodeidah” (war crime anyone?) Where could those “small watercraft” have come from? Obviously the nearby port of Hodeidah where the attack occurred. HRW ignores. 7/

Iran has been caught often using fishing boats and cover of humanitarian aid to smuggle weapons to Houthis. Only Iran/Houthi/Hamas/Hezbollah apologists like HRW would deny this. It’s preposterous to rely on UN officials to certify that Hodeidah is not used for arms smuggling. 8/

According to US military, these transfer of weapons violate Security Council Resolution 2216 which HRW claims the Houthis are adhering to. The shoddy and dishonest HRW report does not bother to note rampant violation by Iran & Houthis to smuggle ballistic missile components. 9/

The Arab coalition against the Houthis has also stated that their intelligence shows the Houthis smuggle weapons via Hodeidah port. So it's not just an Israeli claim. HRW omits this aspect of Houthi activity at Hodeidah as it would demolish claims of Israeli war crimes. 10/

HRW also inanely ignores that oil is a key strategic asset by any military. It’s stupid to have to explain this. Houthis fired ballistic missiles at Israel. Israel has every right to harm Houthi capacity to wage war. But HRW’s fake experts claim hitting oil is not legal. 11/

Geneva Convention considers oil a legitimate military target since they “make an effective contribution to military action” both for its use by military and revenue for regime. The US hit Iraqi & Syrian oil based on this. HRW omits since it demolishes their fake claims. 12/

22 paragraphs into HRW report (of 23) they admit Iran supplies missiles to Houthis. But they don’t say how missiles are delivered. If not Hodeida then which port? Their whole analysis is fabrication and speculation to libel Israel, so they won't offer this key information. 13/

HRW confidently claims even if port was a military target, attack was disproportionate. HRW fails to explain their assessment of “anticipated military advantage” vs “expected” harm to civilian objects. HRW ignores that stopping missiles attacks was an Israeli "advantage." 14/

Fake NGO @HRW fabricates int’l law to claim Israeli war crimes. HRW lies about use of Hodeidah port by Houthis for military as UN reports, plays dumb on how Iran ships missiles to Yemen, pretends oil is not a legitimate target, fakes analysis of proportionality. Pure junk. END